Altoona High School is a publichigh school located in Altoona, Wisconsin. It serves students in grades 9 through 12 and is the only high school in the Altoona School District.
History
Although elementary education had been provided for Altoona residents since the late nineteenth century, a public high school was not opened until October 1913. The original building burned down in 1951, and a successful February 1952 referendum authorized a new building, which opened in October of that year. A 1981 referendum to address overcrowding by building a new high school failed, but a 1986 referendum for a new building passed.[2]
Demographics
The school's student population is 86 percent white, five percent Hispanic, two percent Asian, and two percent black. Four percent of students identify as a part of two or more races. 28 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.[3]
Academics
Advanced Placement classes are offered at Altoona; just under half of students take an AP class.[4]
Athletics
AHS athletic teams are known as the Railroaders and compete in the Cloverbelt Conference.[5] In the fall of 2019, a new sports complex with artificial turf opened, housing contests for the football, soccer, and track and field.[6] The football field is named after former Green Bay Packers player Fuzzy Thurston, a graduate of the school.[7]
* denotes championship was part of a cooperative team
Performing arts
Altoona High has a competitive show choir. The group was originally named "Northland Singers", but is now known as "Locomotion". At times, the school also had a jayvee-level group, "Enginuity".[9] The school has hosted its own competition, "Locopalooza", annually since 2000.[10]
